Optimising Performance For Surgeons
Practical and psychological skills to help you perform under pressure, prioritise what’s important to you, and build a career that lasts. Designed for surgeons at every stage, from SHO to Consultant.
Includes 2 x 60 minute 1:1 coaching sessions with Lilli
Built by a surgeon and certified professional coach
Grounded in neuroscience, coaching theory, and lived experience
Designed specifically for the demands of surgical careers
[X] surgeons enrolled
You’re capable of
extraordinary things.
So why does it so often feel like you’re barely keeping your head above water?
“I can’t switch off”
The hospital follows you home. You replay cases, second-guess decisions, and never quite feel like you’ve done enough.
“My inner critic / inner voice is relentless”
You hold yourself to impossible standards. When things go well, you barely notice. When something goes wrong, you can’t let it go.
“I’m always reacting"
Your time disappears into emails, admin, and other people’s priorities. The things that actually matter keep getting pushed back.
“I feel unbalanced, but I can’t work out why”
On paper, you have everything. But something’s off. You can’t remember the last time you felt genuinely fulfilled.
“Performance anxiety still gets me”
In the theatre, in meetings, presenting your work. You know you’re capable — but your nerves don’t seem to know that.
“I run on willpower. It’s exhausting"
You haven’t built systems that work. You’re relying on discipline alone — and it’s not sustainable.
The Transformation
Eight weeks from now, you’ll have the tools to perform at your best
With a toolkit of 10 evidence-based tools to use for the rest of your career.
A clear understanding of what’s important to you - and a plan to actually implement that
A different relationship with your inner critic: one where you’re in charge - you can leverage it without being beholden to it
A ‘best self’ you can call on to support you under pressure
Routines that hold up to the rigour of surgical life
A productivity system matched to your brain, not someone else’s template
A sense of purpose that helps you harness your motivation and fulfilment
Routines that hold up to the rigour of surgical life
And a toolkit of 10 evidence-based tools to use for the rest of your career.
A sense of purpose that helps you harness your motivation and fulfilment
Eight weeks. Six modules. Two 1:1 sessions. One clear direction.
Each module is delivered weekly with a short video lecture, worksheet, and guided exercises. Go at your own pace - the programme is designed to flex around surgical rotas and on-call commitments.
Type
Week
Welcome & Onboarding
Immediately on enrolment. Mindfulness as your foundation.
You’ll complete a short intake survey, book your first 1:1 session, and begin a daily mindfulness practice. Surgeons who complete the Mindfulness Challenge (5/7 per week throughout the course) earn a free bonus coaching session.
Type
Week
Your Goals & Values
Live Zoom session with Lilli. Approx. 60 minutes + optional extras.
Together you’ll map where you are, where you want to be, and what’s most important to you. You’ll leave with a working first draft of your core values and a clear set of personal goals for the programme.
Type
Week
Getting to Know Your Inner Critic
Approx. 45 minutes + optional extras.
Your inner critic coordinates your habitual reactions under pressure — often without you noticing. In this module you’ll give it a name, a face, and a character. Then you’ll learn to spot it in real time, and choose the response that is aligned with what’s important to you/that will help you flourish/that you’re proud of.
Type
Week
Recruiting Your Best Self
Approx. 60 minutes + 14-day challenge.
You’ll build an Early Warning Score and Pressure Plan — your personal toolkit for navigating stress. Then you’ll develop your ‘best self’: the version of you that performs, connects, and leads at their very best.
Type
Week
Developing Systems for Performance
45 minutes.
Willpower runs out. Systems don’t. You’ll design and tweak systems and routines to make excellent performance the default — not the exception.
Type
Week
Optimising Productivity
Approx. 60 minutes.
Surgeons spend only 20% of their time in the operating theatre. How you manage the rest determines your career and your life outside it. You’ll identify your highest quality time, learn to defend it, and build a productivity system around what genuinely matters most.
Type
Week
Purpose & Goal Setting
Approx. 45 minutes.
Without a clear ‘why’, high performance is hard to sustain. In the final module you’ll draft your personal purpose statement — the north star that informs your decisions, sustains your motivation, and makes your work feel meaningful.
Type
Week
Course Completion
Subheading
You’ll receive your full toolkit: 10 evidence-based tools, PDF summary, and a record of everything you’ve built over the past seven weeks.
Type
Week
Review & Integration
Live Zoom session with Lilli. Approx. 60 minutes.
Your second coaching session consolidates everything you’ve learned, addresses what’s still unresolved, and sets you up with a clear plan for the months ahead.
About Lilli
I have worked in intense environments with high performance demands.
I am a doctor, and completed my plastic surgery training in the NHS in 2023. During my training I have studied, travelled and worked in different countries and regions, and looked after patients of all ages and backgrounds.
Through the rigour of surgical training, and the intensity of the day-to-day job, I understand high pressure work environments, leadership and team working, as well as the requirements and pressures of continuing professional and personal development in such circumstances.
"I had the privilege of working with Lilli as my coach during a critical juncture in my life. Her compassionate, and honest approach was invaluable as she guided me through significant decisions with insight and humour. Lilli encouraged me to engage my body, mind, and inner voice to navigate life’s complexities. I highly recommend her to anyone seeking thoughtful coaching."
- Surgical registrar
Frequently Asked Questions
1
How much time does the programme take each week?
Each module takes approximately 30–60 minutes to complete — including the video lecture and core exercise. Optional exercises are there for those who want to go deeper. The programme is designed to work within a surgical career, not compete with it.
2
Do I have to be a surgeon?
The programme is designed with surgeons in mind, but is equally well-suited to any doctor or professional working in a high-pressure, high-stakes environment.
3
What if I fall behind or need more time?
That’s completely expected and entirely fine. You can work through each module at your own pace. Lilli is available by email throughout, and the two 1:1 sessions can be used to address whatever feels most relevant at that moment.
4
When do I book my 1:1 sessions?
The booking link for your first session is included in your welcome email — we recommend booking it within your first week. You’ll book your second 1:1 at a time that suits you, ideally by the end of Week 8.
5
What is the refund policy?
Not enjoying it, or can’t start due to unknown circumstances, and you will get a full refund.
6
I have a question that isn’t answered here.
Email Lilli directly at lilli@lillicooper.co.uk, or use the contact form on this site. She will get back to you personally.
“You’ve spent years mastering surgery. Now invest eight weeks in mastering yourself.”
Enrol in Optimising Performance for Surgeons.
Includes 2 x live 1:1 coaching sessions with Lilli.
Price: [INSERT PRICE]
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